Lubricating apparatus



i Dec. 12,1939.

E. w. DAvls LUBRICATING APPARATs Filed Jan. 11, 19:57 2 sheets-shed 1 Dec. l2, 1939. aww/1s 2,183,013

LUBRICATIG AIPARATUS Y Filed Jan. 11. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f3 ze 3g /A l 3.2 16 //I, 23 a y 2Q fa; l ze V7 6.5 if@ u i; l s

jg@ l Z' Patented Dec. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES.

LUBRICATmG APPARATUS Ernest W. Davis, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Stewart-Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Virginia Application January 11, 1937, Serial No. 119,914

11 Claims.

Myinvention relates generally to lubricating apparatus, and more particularly to vimprovements in lubricant compressors of the magazine type, and to lubricant magazines with such compressors.

In the lubrication of machinery, more particularly automobiles, it is desirable to supply various groups of bearings with different kinds of lubricant. For example, the chassis bearings require a certain kind of lubricant, whereas the water pump, the steering gear, wheel bearings, etc., each may require a diierent kind of lubricant. In relatively small service stations, it is sometimes not feasible to have at hand a lubricantcompressor for each kind of lubricant which it is necessary to have available. I have therefore provided a single lubricant compressor which may be used for the servicing of all the bearings, utilizing lubricant containing magazines, one for each of the different lubricants, which may be suitably connected to the compressor and have their contents discharged thereby.

Magazine type compressors'of this kind have been proposed and used in the past, but they have not been fully satisfactory in use because of the fact that a certain amount of lubricant of one kind was necessarily retained in the compressor so that upon exchanging magazines to4 condition the compressor for discharging a different lubricant, a certain amount of the lubricant from the magazine which was removed was retained in the compressor and this residual lubricant was discharged whenV the compressor was again operated with a second magazine containing a different lubricant. If the compressor was connected to a part designed to receive the lubricant from the second magazine, a certain amount of this residual lubricant from the rst magazine was discharged into the part. The amount of residual lubricant from the first magazine was frequently sufiicient for the lubrication of several bearings so that it was probable that in the course of lubrication of an automobile, a' relal,tively large proportion of the bearings were supplied withthe Wrong type of lubricant. -While this disadvantageous result might have been obviated by a careful service station attendant by of my invention, the residual lubricant in the Vto return the piston is arranged to be connected to a suitable source compressor is returned to the magazine from which it was taken, the magazine being provided with means for detachably connecting it tothe coupler of the lubricant compressor for this purpose.

- It is thus an'object of my invention to provide an improved magazinetype lubricant compressor having'magazines which are cooperable with the coupler which forms part of, and is attached to the compressor. r

-A further object is to provide an improved lubricant magazine for lubricant compressors, and to provide improved means for holding such magazines in the compressors. l

'Other objects will appear from the following description,'reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

`v line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 isa central, longitudinal, sectional view of a modified form of lubricant magazine; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the nozzle end of a lubricant magazine shown in cooperation-with the coupler attached to the compressor.

As shown in Fig. l, the lubricant compressor comprises a body l0,- preierably a die casting provided with a high pressure cylinder l2. A handle casting I4has an air cylinder I6 formed therein, and is secured to the body casting l0 by means of a plurality of cap screws I8 (Fig. 2). A high pressure plunger 28 is reciprocable in the cylinder I 2, being sealed'therein by a hat washer 22 secured in place by apacking nut 2 4 and held in sealing engagement with the plunger 20 by a spring pressed gland 26. The' plunger 20 is cono nected to the stem 28 of an air piston 30 by a plug and socket connection and a locking cotter pin 32. A compression coil spring 34 is operable which is reciprocable in the cylinder I6. l Air under pressure may be. admitted to the cylinder I6 so as to exert `pressure against the face of the piston 30, through a passageway 36 which communicates with a valve chamber 38. A passageway 40 formed in the handle casting I4 of compressed air or other pressure operating fluid by a fitting 42, coupler 44 and hose 46.

A valve 48 having a suitably packed stem 50 nga'geable byl 'a' trigger 52 controls the flow of air from 'the passageway 40 to the passageway 36, the valve being resiliently held in closed position by a. compression spring 54. The valve 48 is adapted alternately to seat against gaskets 56 and 58 so that when the valve is opened to permit flow of compressed air into the cylinder I6, the valve will engage the gasket 58 and close the port therein by which the valve chamber 38 is normally in communication with the atmosphere by way of a passageway 60.

A rotary plug valve 62 operated by means of a handle 64 (Fig. 2) is arranged to control the supply of compressed air fromV the passageway 40 to a passageway 64, which in turn communicates with a passageway 66 formed in the body casting |0, a gasket 68 being provided to form a seal at the juncture of these passageways. This valve is provided with a vent' passageway 65, communicating with a port 63 to provide means to' '|4. The sealing member '|2 is conformed to receive the nozzle portion 'I6 of the tape ring end cap i8 of a lubricant magazine 80.

'Ihe magazine 80 includes a cylindrical barrel 02, having an end cap 84 pressed thereon, or otherwise suitably secured thereto. The end cap is provided with a vent aperture 86, and formsa support for a follower guide rod 88 which is riveted thereto. A follower piston 90 secured to a guide sleeve 92 is freely slidable upon the rod 88 and includes a cup leather 94 which makes sealing contact with the wall of the barrel 82. The inner end 9G of the follower guide rod 80 is of reduced diameter and has a head 98 thereon. This reduced diameter portion 96 provides a means for venting the magazine when substantially all of the lubricant has been' discharged therefrom, for when the sleeve 92 of the follower reaches the reduced portion 96, a passageway will be formed whereby air may iiow through the sleeve 92 into the high pressure cylinder4 of the compressor and the magazine thereby completely emptied. The operator will notice that the compressor is not delivering lubricant and will thereby be apprised of the necessity of substituting a fully charged magazine for the empty magazine.

Themagazine 80 is held with its nozzle 16 in sealing engagement with the sealing member '|2 by a conical spiral spring which is compressed between the end cap 84 of the magazine and a magazine chamber or housing |02, which latter is threaded to the body casting, a suitable gasket |04 being provided to seal this connection.

The lubricant discharged from the high pressure cylinder flows past a spring pressed ball check valve |06 which is pressed against a valve seat |08 formed in a valve body ||0. A discharge conduit ||2 is threaded in the valve body I I0 and at its cuter end is connected to a coupler I I4. The construction of this coupler is illustrated generally in Figs. 1 and 4, and is more fully disclosed in patent to J. Bystricky No. 2,056,249, of October 6, 1936.

Thiscoupler, as shown in Fig. 4, comprises a piston H subjected to lubricant pressure from the compressor, the piston bearing against a nozouter forward ends to be cammed inwardly by a frusto-conical camming surface |26 formed within the outer end of the sleeve |24. The nozzle 16 of the magazine has a substantially cylindrical i tip |28 which is of suiiiciently small size that it may be inserted in the end of the coupler and have its end face engage the contact face |20 of the nozzle and seal thereagainst. The sides of the cylindrical tip |28 are adapted to be engaged by the jaws |22 when the coupler is being supplied with lubricant under pressure, thereby to provide a mechanical grip upon the magazine nozzle.

The magazine shown in Fig. 3 is of the same general construction as the magazine shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and similar reference characters have therefore beenapplied to the corresponding parts.

The follower piston 90 shown in the construction of Fig. 3 is composed of a relatively thick disc |30 of cork, or similar material, held between a pair`of sheet metal plates |32 which are secured together by rivets |34. The plates |32 are pierced to provide guide flanges |30` engageable with the follower rod 80.

In order to prevent dripping of lubricant from the magazine when it is not being used, a double acting check valve is provided adjacent the outlet. This valve comprises a valve body |38 which is welded, brazed, or otherwise suitably secured within the cap '|B so as to close the opening therein. A seat |40 is formed in the body |38 and is adapted to be engaged by a ported valve member |42 which is held against the seat by a compression coil spring |44. The opening |46 through the valve |42 is normally closed by a ball check valve |48 which is held against the end of the valve I 42 by a compression spring |50. The

Aspring |44 is slightly stronger than the spring |50 so that the parts will normally be in the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 3. The valves |42 and |48 seat sufficiently tightly to prevent the escape of lubricant from the magazine when subjected to the gravity head of the lubricant, but open readily under the differential pressures obtained when the magazine is being lled, and when it is being used in the compressor to supply lubricant to the high pressure cylinder thereof.

In using the lubricating apparatus of my invention, a plurality of magazines 80 will be supplied for use with each compressor. These magazines will be filled with the different kinds of lubricants used, and will bear proper identification colors or legends to indicate the kinds of lubricant which they contain. The magazines are, of course, filled by forcing the lubricant into the inlet openings of this nozzle 'I6 from a suitable source of lubricant under pressure using a coupler |I4 or any other suitable means to make the sealed connection with the nozzle 16.

In using the apparatus, assuming that the compressor is connected by means of a coupler 44 and fitting 42 to suitable source of air under pressure, the operator will turn the plug valve 62 clockwise through an angle of 90 degrees (Fig. l), thereby cutting off the supply of compressed air to the interior of the magazine housing |02 and venting the latter to the atmosphere through port .r

63 and longitudinal passageway 65. Having relieved pressure within the magazine housing |02,

the latter will be unscrewed from the body of thel compressor. A hole |03 is preferably provided in the flanged boss into which the magazine housing |02 is threaded, in order .to prevent accidents should the operator neglect to cut off the supply compressor.

After unscrewing and removing the magazine housing |02, a magazine"'iilled with the desired' lubricant is inserted with its nozzle 16 in engagement with the sealing member 12. The magazine housing |02 is then replaced being secured tightly Fig. 1, admitting air under pressure to the inagainst the gasket |04 so as to formA an airtight seal therewith. Thereafter the valve 62 is turnedto the position in which it is. shown in terlor of the magazine chamber |02. This pressure will be communicated through the hole 86 in the end cap 48 of the magazine' and exert pressure upon the follower piston `90, thereby 'discharging lubricant from the magazine through the passageway intov the high pressure cylinder I2. The air pressure will normally be insufficient to force the lubricant past'the outlet check valve Having thus primed the. high pressure cylinder, the compressor will be in condition for use, and after connecting the coupler with a fitting attached to the part to be lubricated, the operator will press the trigger 52, thus opening the valve 48 and permitting ow of air under pressure into-the air motor cylinder I6. This air pressure acting on the piston will move the latter, together with the high pressure plunger,

to the left, (Fig. l) against the force of the spring 34. At the same time, the valve will seal against the seat 5B and cut oi the communication of the valve chamber 38 with the atmosphere. After the plunger 20 has reached the end of its stroke, the operator will release the trigger 52, whereupon the valve 48 willbe moved by its 4spring 54 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. l. The valve chamber 38 and cylinder i6 will thusb'e cut olf from the supply of lompressed air and connected to the -atmosphereV through the 'passageway 60. As the pressure within the cylinder I6 of the air motor drops to atmospheric, the spring 34 will return the air piston`30 to its normal position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the compressor will have completed a cycle of operation.

Whenthe operator nds it necessary to use a lubricant diiferent from'that containedin the magazine in the compressor, he'will turn the valve 62 to out oi the supply of air pressure to the magazine chamber, and replace the magazine-therein with a magazine containing the deslredlubricant. Under these circumstances, however, the passageway 10, the high pressure cylinder I2, and the passageway through the discharge conduit I2 and the interior of the coupler ||4 will be filled with the kind of lubricant previously used, and which the operator no longer,

desires to use. To prevent the wastage of this lubricant or to make it unnecessary for the operator to use up this lubricant upon a bearing which requires a different type of lubricant, the

operator will connect the magazine which he has .the barrel of the magazine.

|42 do, however, seat sufficiently-tightly to precorresponds to that in the magazine into whichl it is being discharged.

'I'he operator will find after brief experimentation that by operating the' compressor a certain number of times, lubricant discharge passageways of the compressor and coupler may be read- 'ily cleared of the previously used lubricant and iilled with the new lubricant. In this way, the compressor may be easily conditioned to supply each group of bearings with the particular kind of lubricant best suited for its requirements, and without wasting lubricant by intermixing the various kinds, or merely'discharging the lubricant of the unwanted kind into a waste receptacle. o

When magazines of the type shown in Fig. 1 are used in hot climates, some lubricants will not retain their body, butl will permit the oil to separate from the soaps and this oil may leak from the nozzle of the magazine unless the magazine is stored with the nozzle pointing upwardly. To prevent the possibility of such dripping and leakage of the lubricant from the magazines, a magazine having the construction illustrated in Fig. 3 may -be employed. It will be readily understood that when magazines of this type are used in the lubricant compressor, the .pressure on the lubricant resultant from the air pressure within the magazine housing will be sumcient to cause flow of the lubricant past the check valve |48, and likewise when the magazine is being charged with lubricant, the valve |42 will unseat readily to permit the admission'of lubricant to These valves |48,

vent the escape of lubricant under thegravity head of the lubricant, and similarly prevent 4the `admission o f air to the barrel ofthe magazine,

as might otherwise occur due tothe weight, of

, the lubricant when the magazine is stored with its nozzle pointing upwardly.

While I have shown and described .particular removed from the compressor to the coupler ||4 embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in numerous other forms which.A

are the equivalent or substitutes for the constructions disclosed. I therefore desire to include within the scope of the following claims, allsuch constructions by which substantially the results of my invention may be secured in substantially the Vsame way.

I claim:

1. 'In a manually controlled lubricant compres-` sor having a coupler fo'r detachably connecting the compressor to a part to be lubricated, the combination of a lubricant magazine 'having a nozzle and a movable wall, sealing means in said compressor for` receiving said nozzle, means detachably enclosing said magazine in an air-tight chamber, means for admitting air under press'ure to said chamber independently of 'the control of said compressor for driving said wall to discharge lubricant through said nozzle into said compressor, said nozzle being conformed to establsh an air-tight sealed connection with said sealing means when supplying lubricant to said compressor, and to establish a lubricant-tight sealed connection with said coupler when said compressor is being operated independently of said air-admitting means to return to said magazine I f and clear said compressor and coupler of lubricant therein which was supplied to the compressor and coupler by said magazine.

2. In lubricating apparatus of the class described, the combination of a lubricant compressor having a pumping mechanism and a dischargeconduit terminating in a coupler, and a lubricant magazine having means for detachably connecting it to said compressor to supply lubricant to said pumping mechanism and having a nozzle part cooperable with said coupler to receive lubricant from said pumping mechanism.

3. In a manually controlled lubricant compressor having a coupler for detachably connecting the compressor to a part to be lubricated, the combination of a lubricant magazine having a nozzle and a movable Wall, sealing means in said compressor for receiving said nozzle, means independently enclosing said magazine in an air-tight chamber, a three-way valve operable alternately to admit air under pressure to said chamber and to vent said chamber to the atmosphere inde- .pendently of the control-=of said compressor for forcing lubricant from said magazine into said compressor, said nozzle being conformed to establish an air-tight sealed connection with said sealing means when said three-way valve is set to admit air under pressure to said chamber and to establish a lubricant-tight sealing connection with said coupler when said three-way valve is set to vent said chamber to atmosphere to return said magazine and clear said compressor and coupler of lubricant therein which Was supplied to the compressor and coupler by said magazine.

4. In a lubricating apparatus of the class described, the combination of a lubricant compressor having a discharge conduit terminating in a coupler, and a lubricant magazine having means for detachably connecting it to said compressor to supply lubricant thereto and for detachably connecting it to said coupler to receive lubricant from said compressor.

5. An interchangeable lubricant magazine for lubricant compressors comprising a cylindrical lubricant reservoir, a follower reciprocable in said reservoir, an outlet nozzle at one end of said reservoir, and a two-way spring-pressed check valve in said outlet nozzle.

6. A lubricant magazine for lubricant compressors comprising a cylindrical reservoir, a follower reciprocable in said reservoir, a cap having an aperture therein at one end of said reservoir, a lling and discharge nozzle at the other end of said reservoir and integral therewith, and a pair of spring pressed check valves in said nozzle, said valves opening in opposite directions and so constructed as to prevent admission of lubricant to and discharge of lubricant from said nozzle except when the lubricant is subjected to appreciable pressure.

7. A lubricant magazine forlubricant compressors comprising a cylindrical reservoir, a follower reciprocable in said reservoir, a cap having an aperture therein. at one end of said reservoir,

a lling and discharge nozzle at the other end of said reservoir integral therewith, and a pair of spring-pressed check valves in said nozzle, one of said valves being apertured and forming a seat for the other, and said valves opening in opposite directions.

8. A lubricant magazine for lubricant compressors, comprising a barrel, an apertured cap closing one end of said barrel, a follower guide rod secured to said cap, a follower piston slidable on said rod, a nozzle cap secured to the other end of said barrel, a discharge and filling nozzle formed integrally with said nozzle cap, and means within said nozzle to prevent vthe passage of lubricant therethrough in either direction under low pressure and permitting passage of lubricant therethrough in either direction under high pressure.

9. In a high pressure lubricant compressor having a high pressure cylinder, a plunger reciprocable therein, and means for reciprocating said plunger, the combination of a sealing member at the inlet end of said cylinder dening a tapering passageway leading to said cylinder, a magazine having a protruding nozzle receivable in said passageway and engageable with said sealing member to make an air-tight connection therewith, thereby to prevent air under pressure around said magazine from entering said tapered passageway, an air-tight magazine housing surrounding said magazine, a spring compressed between said housing and said magazine to hold said magazine against said sealing member, and means to admit air under pressure to said housing and to said magazine to force lubricant from the magazine into said high pressure cylinder.

10. In a high pressure lubricant compressor, the combination of a high pressure cylinder, a plunger reciprocable therein, means for reciprocating said plunger, and means to supply lubricant to said high pressure cylinder comprising a sealing member at the inlet of said cylinder, a magazine having a protruding nozzle engageable within said sealing member to make an air-tight connection therewith, said nozzle extending through said sealing member and emptying directly into said inlet, an air-tight magazine housing surrounding said magazine, and meansv to admit air under pressure to said housing and to said magazine to force lubricant from the magazine into said high pressure cylinder.

l1. A high pressure cylinder with an inlet and an outlet opening and a coupler connected to said outlet opening, the combination of a detachable magazine having a nozzle conformed to engage interchangeably with saidcoupler in lubricant receiving relationship and to engage said inlet in lubricant discharging relationship, means for detachably securing said magazine relative to said inlet, and means for forcing lubricant from said magazine when said magazine is in engagement l with said inlet.

ERNEST W. DAVIS. 

